Majority for Civil Service

Austrian News Brief: Jun. 201

For the first time since the beginning of the debate in 2010, a clear majority has opted for a professional army. Until now, young men have had an obligatory year of enlistment in the Austrian Army (Bundesheer), or alternatively, one and a half years of civil service in public institutions.

The recent market-survey for Der Standard showed that 62% prefer a professional army and only 38% wish to keep the obligatory enlistment (draft).

However, 74% are proponents of obligatory social service time after high school. Last fall, half of the surveyed group was still in favour of obligatory army enlistment.